


Tour Guide

by rinthegreat



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meeting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-14 23:23:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16050707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinthegreat/pseuds/rinthegreat
Summary: So that's how he ended up here, standing in line to buy a ticket for the double decker bus tour.





	Tour Guide

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of the AUs that struck me while I was on vacation with my dad in Canada. I saw this bus in Victoria, but I've seen them in several different major cities as tourist things so this can be set wherever you want it to be. ;)

“Have you met anyone?” Shiro asks. It's their fifth Skype call since Keith's exchange started. Keith shrugs, nonchalant which does nothing but irritate Shiro. “Keith.”

“What? I'm focused on school,” Keith snaps back, hackles already raised.

“That's not why I thought you should come abroad,” Shiro lectures. This is why Keith only has a call with him once a week. Studying abroad had been Shiro's idea, and though Keith knows _why_ , he's chosen to focus on his studies rather than do ridiculous things like 'go out' or 'make friends'.

Shiro sighs; the only sign that he's just as done with this repetitive conversation as Keith is. “You're really not interested in any of this, are you?”

“No. I'm really not.”

“Tell you what, I'll drop it if you just do one thing.”

“Or,” Keith argues, “you can drop it now.”

“One thing.” Shiro sets his jaw in the stubborn way that Keith knows means he will never drop it.

There are two options here: argue about it with Shiro forever or give in on the smallest thing he can manage. “One,” Keith agrees through gritted teeth. He already regrets it.

Shiro smirks, and Keith's stomach sinks further. “Good.”

\---

So that's how he ended up here, standing in line to buy a ticket for the double decker bus tour. The agreement he and Shiro had eventually come to was that Keith would do one touristy thing in a group of people, provide proof of it, and Shiro would stop bothering him about it. Keith had chosen this one because it's a hop-on-hop-off tour.

Meaning he can get off whenever.

Unfortunately, when he gets his ticket and walks up to the top deck, he finds out that he's one of the last people on board and all the good seats are gone. Namely the seats in the back. Keith grimaces, taking the spot in the very front, next to the window. Well, at least this way he can prove he's been around people.

He pulls out his phone and does his best to include the people behind him while still proving to Shiro that he's _very unhappy_ to be here. He tugs his face into the most upset glare he can manage and is about to click the photo when a loud voice booms out.

“Hey everyone!”

Keith drops his phone. He scrambles around, feeling for it before a brown hand appears in his vision. He looks up and nearly drops it again when he meets the bluest eyes he's ever seen. The guy winks at him before straightening up.

“My name's Lance, and I'll be your tour guide today. And, before anyone asks: no, I'm not single.” There's a smattering of chuckles at that, but Keith is too focused on his stomach still flip flopping around.

“Alright, Chuck,” Lance says, presumably to the driver, voice no longer amplified by his mic, “looks like we have a full bus.” He slides into the only open seat left; the one next to Keith, and it's all Keith can do to not pass out. The bus starts moving, a cool breeze kicking up and removing some of the heat from his cheeks, but he's not in the clear yet.

“You know, I take a pretty mean selfie,” Lance remarks. “If you need help.”

Keith turns to glare at him, but the guy is just so goddamn beautiful that he relents. “Just don't drop it,” he instructs, handing it over. His voice comes out more irritated than he means, but Lance laughs. They lean against each other and take a couple selfies before his phone is returned to him, and Lance stands up smoothly despite the bus still moving. “Alright, everyone, if you take a look to your right...”

\---

The thing is...Keith had really, honestly, planned on hopping off at the first stop. He had. But Lance is a good tour guide. He's interesting, he's funny, and in between sights he sits next to Keith and snaps selfies with him including every historic building as they pass.

Keith manages to untie his tongue about three sights in. The only reason he even can is because Lance is a complete _dork_. He jokes around when mic-ed and it doesn't stop when he shuts it down between areas. It's endearing, even though Keith wishes it weren't. Lance manages to keep everyone engaged enough that he keeps all the tourists. Sure, a few leave every now and then, but for the most part the seats remain filled.

His time with Lance decreases as they get closer to the historical district when Lance stays on his feet and walks up and down the middle aisle as he describes their surroundings. And Keith isn't upset about this at all. Not even a little.

He's not.

“Well,”Lance announces as the bus turns a familiar corner and another set of red buses is visible. “It's been great being with you folks, but it has to end. If you liked it, leave a tip in the tip jar on your way out. I'll be standing at the entrance to answer any last questions you have.”

Keith's stomach sinks as they get closer. He doesn't actually want it to end. Despite himself, he'd actually been having – dare he say it – fun. He has no excuse to see Lance again, but he wants to. He really, _really_ wants to.

So he hovers. He hangs around, making a show of putting away his phone and pulling all his things together. But he doesn't have any _things_ to gather, so it's absolutely just a show. Lance is already down on the sidewalk, but Keith still lets everyone else go by first, trying to think of what to do.

Lance had said he wasn't single, so Keith shouldn't hit on him. And even though he got along with Lance he can't just _pretend_ to want to be his friend. He knows he wants more. (Yes, he already knows that.) But maybe, maybe...

No. He won't do that.

When the last person passes, he finally stands up. He tucks his phone back in his pocket, suddenly nervous for no reason. He gets down the stairs and out the door, watching as the girls in front of him press paper into Lance's hand that he _knows_ are their phone numbers. He really shouldn't be so irritated that they're more brave than he is. And yet, that doesn't stop the shot of anger that courses through him.

“Hey,” Lance greets the moment Keith's standing in front of him.

Keith struggles with an answer, eventually settling on, “That was a good tour.”

“You liked it?” Lance asks, grinning. “That's good. You seemed upset at the beginning.”

Keith looks away, not wanting to admit that yeah, he had been.

“Anyway,” Lance continues. “I get off around 7 and I was wondering if you'd want to grab a drink?”

Keith's eyes jerk back to him, shocked. “Don't you...aren't you...?” he doesn't finish the question, not wanting to come off as desperate as he feels.

“Oh, the single thing?” Lance laughs, crumpling the papers in his hand. “Yeah I say that because I got hit on too much. It was flattering at first, but it got kinda...annoying?”

He blinks. “So...you're single?”

“Painfully,” Lance confirms, flashing his pearly whites. “Are you?” Keith nods, not trusting himself to say anything. “Cool. Drink then? There's a place I like to go. Here, hand me your phone I'll put in my number.”

Keith does, feeling a bit detached from reality. After all, he'd just spent the last several hours assuming that Lance was completely unavailable. And here he is now, with Lance putting his number and the address for where to meet in his phone, asking him on a date. Lance takes a selfie and saves it with his number before texting himself and handing the phone back to Keith.

“This is okay, right?” he asks when Keith still says nothing.

Keith swallows down his nerves. “Yeah,” he confirms. “Definitely okay.”

Lance beams. “Awesome. I have to go for the next tour, but I'll see you at 7, right?”

“Yeah,” Keith repeats, feeling like a broken record. “Seven.”

Lance departs with a wave, hopping onto the next bus, already filled with tourists who are bound to fall for him over the span of their three hour journey. Keith watches as the bus pulls out, hearing the echo of, “What's up? My name's Lance and I'll be your tour guide today. Before anyone asks: no, I'm not single.” He waits until the bus curves out of sight before turning and heading back to his dorm.

He is absolutely never telling Shiro about this. He'll never live it down.

 

**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/rinthegreat_ao3)   
>  [Tumblr](https://rinthegreat.tumblr.com/)   
>  [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/rinthegreat/)


End file.
